Game



April 1963 s. H. ANTHONY 3,084,941

GAME

Filed June 29, 1960 3 sheets sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS April 9, 1963 s. H. ANTHONY GAME 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 29, 1960 BY QE QQQLQMJF W ATTORNEYS S. H. ANTHONY April 9, 1963 v GAME 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. STEWART H. ANTHONY BYfZQLfiQQQNMZH W ATTORNEYS Filed June 29, 1960 United States Patent 3,084,941 GAME Stewart H. Anthony, 1817 Ewing Ave, Charlotte, N.C. Filed June 29, 1960, Ser. No. 39,534 4 Ciaims. (Cl. 273176) This invention relates to a new form of game requiring skill during play and presenting an interesting and amusing pastime for the enjoyment of the players. More particularly, the game may be described as one in which features of croquet and miniature golf have been combined to afford amusement and exercise for adults and children.

It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a new form of game for recreational purposes which will prove challenging and interesting to the players.

It is another more specific object of this invention to provide a new form of game having a playing surface made up of a plurality of adjoining playing areas, wherein each of the playing areas comprises a fairway path surrounded by a rough area. Each playing area further includes an entrance and an exit at opposite ends of the fairway path therein, the entrances and exits being obscured by hazards or obstacles and there being a wicket disposed on the fairway path intermediate the ends thereof to require skill on the part of a player to drive a ball through the entrance, wicket and exit of each playing area during the progress of the game.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a playing surface or field constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustrating the lower right-hand corner of the playing surface shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustrating the lower left-hand corner of the playing surface shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the upper right-hand corner of the playing surface shown in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the upper left-hand corner of the playing surface shown in FIGURE 1.

'Referring more specifically to the drawings, it will be understood that the game is played with a ball and a driving means, such as a mallet, the mallet being used to strike the ball and drive it across a playing surface or field. It will be seen that the playing surface or field illustrated in the drawings is divided into a plurality of playing areas or courts by boundary means to be hereinafter described, the playing areas being designated by reference numerals .10-26, inclusive, and being numbered consecutively beginning from the lower right-hand corner of the playing surface as illustrated in FIGURE 1 and proceeding in an orderly undulating manner to the last playing area 26 located at the lower left-hand corner of the playing surface.

In defining the individual playing areas -26, inclusive, the playing surface is confined by a main border rail or fence 30 which substantially encloses the playing areas. The individual playing areas 10-26, inclusive, are marked off by means comprising longitudinally extending boundaries in the form of spaced parallel upright boards 31, 3'2 and 33 which divide the playing surface into four elongated strips and a plurality of transversely extending boundaries in the form of upright boards extending between adjacent spaced parallel lon- 3,084,941 Patented Apr. 9, 1363 "ice gitudinally extending boundaries. In addition to the longitudinally extending boards 31, 32, and 33, the right and left side rails 30, 30 are included as longitudinally extending boundaries. In this manner, the transversely extending boards separate adjacent playing areas in the four elongate strips and may be termed separator boards. Thus, transverse boards 34, 35, 36 and 37 extend between the longitudinally extending board 31 and the right side rail 30 to mark off the playing areas 10-14, inclusive, respectively; transverse boards 40 and 41 extend between longitudinally extending boards 81 and 32 to mark off playing areas 15, .16 and 17; transverse boards 42, 43 and 44 extend between longitudinally extending boards 32 and 33 to mark off playing areas 18-21, inclusive, and transverse boards 45-48, inclusive, extend between longitudinally extending board 33 and the left side rail 30 to mark off playing areas 2 2-26, inclusive, respectivelyit being pointed out that the upper and lower rails 30, 30 are included as transversely extending boundaries in defining the individual playing areas. It will be apparent that the rails 30 forming the upper, lower, and side boundaries of the playing surface, the longitudinally extending boards, and the transversely extending boards which cooperate to delineate the playing surface into the individual playing areas 10-26, inclusive, also define retaining walls extending above the playing surface to confine the ball of each player within a respective playing area during the progress of the game.

It will be noted that the rail 30 bordering the right side of the playing surface, as illustrated in FIGURE 1, extends below the corresponding lower rail 30 bordering the lower end of the playing surface and continues with an integral rail extension 50 at right angles thereto and in spaced parallel relation to the rail 30 defining the lower end of the playing surface so as to provide a starting lane 51 therebetween.

The playing surface is further delineated by a continuous, tortuous or irregularly extending, smooth path or fairway 52 proceeding through each of the playing areas 10-26, inclusive, and preferably formed from a grass carpet similar to the surface encountered on a golf putting green. It is contemplated that the fairway or path 52 may include alternate segments to be utilized during play, such as the alternate segments 52a, 5212 extending through portions of playing areas 10 and 11. The remainder of the playing surface comprises a roug 53 which may be artificially formed from packed fine gravel or which may be terrain of an uneven nature to present a bumpy, uneven medium defining a rough surface otfering difficulties in controlling the direction of movement of a playing ball through the individual playing areas, such difiiculties not being encountered on the smooth grass carpet forming the fairway path 52.

Each of the individual playing areas 10-26, inclusive, is provided with an entrance and an exit, the entrances and exits being formed in respective rails 30, longitudinally extending boards 31, 32 and 33 and transversely extending separator boards as may be desired. In every instance but the last or final playing area 26, the exit of each playing area becomes the entrance to the next consecutive playing area adjacent thereto.

In order to add excitement and increase the enjoyment of the game, the entrances and exits for each of the individual playing areas 10-26, inclusive, are provided with means defining obstacles or hazards 54 of varying types to increase the difficulty of driving a playing ball into and out of the individual playing areas during the progress of the game. The obstacles or hazards 54 by obscuring the respective entrances and exits of the playing areas make the passage of a playing ball therethrough more difiicult. Typical of the obstacles or hazards 54 which may be encountered during the playing of the game is the section of pipe at the entrance to playing area marking the start of the game and through which a playing ball must pass in order to properly enter the playing area 10. By way of further example, the obstacle 54 obscuring the exit from playing area 11 and the entrance to playing area 12 may comprise a pair of oppositely disposed spaced wall segments decreasing the width of the fairway 52 through the opening in the transverse separator board 35 and further including a pair of upright stakes in the space between the wall segments. It will be understood that the obstacles or hazards 54 may vary over a wide range, as those obstacles 54 illustrated in the drawings are merely representative of the type of hazard or obstacle which might be employed.

Intermediate the ends of each portion of the fairway path 52 within the individual playing areas 10-26, inclusive, a wicket or loop 55 is disposed, the wicket 55 being thrust into the grass carpet comprising the fairway path 52 and providing an upright archway through which a players ball must be driven during the course of the game. As shown in the drawings, the wicket 55 in at least a substantial majority of the playing areas 10-26, inclusive, is placed at a location on the fairway path 52 so as to be disposed in offset relationship with respect to a straight line extending between the entrance and exit of the playing area. Such placement of the wickets 55 enhances the difficulty in playing through the respective playing areas. With the exception of the first or starting playing area M a scoring table or stand 56 is located in each of the playing areas 11-26, inclusive, the individual scoring tables 56 providing a surface upon which scoring cards may be placed for recording the number of strokes taken to pass through the preceding playing area. A plurality of vertical light standards 57 are conveniently arranged about the playing surface, there being one or more electric light bulbs mounted atop each of the standards 57 for illuminating the premises to provide sufiicient light on the playing surface for permitting the game to be played at night. The fairway path 52 in the last playing area 26 is preferably provided with a hazard or obstacle 54 leading to a hole 60 into which each playing ball must be driven by the respective players to complete the game.

As shown more particularly in FIGURE 3, a booth or stand 61 is located adjacent the obstacle S4 and the hole 60 provided therewith in the final playing area 26, the booth or stand 61 being positioned nearby the starting lane 51 and providing a convenient station for the proprietor of the premises to issue tickets for individual players upon payment therefor. The booth 61 may also serve as a concession stand for dispensing soft drinks and various refreshments to spectators and players of the game.

A preferred manner of playing the game will now be described, it being understood that the rules of play may be modified in many instances and are not to be construed as restrictive of the invention. In a given group of players, each player is provided with a distinctly colored ball for identifying the respective player and a suitable means for driving the ball, such as a mallet. Each player begins the game by placing his ball adjacent the pipe segment forming the obstacle 54 at the entrance to the first playing area 10 and thereafter driving the ball through the obstacle 54 (pipe segment) into the first playing area 10.

Since the fairway path 52 offers a smooth carpet-like grass surface in contrast to the uneven bumpy contour of the surrounding rough surface 53, the players will strive to drive their respective balls in such a manner that the balls will travel along and stop on the fairway path 52. In this respect, a player may exercise much better control of direction of movement for his ball by driving it along the smooth fairway path 52, rather than the rough surface 53. Each player must successfully drive his ball a through the wicket or loop 55 disposed on the portion of the fairway path 52 in each of the individual playing areas before the player will be permitted to drive his ball through the exit in the particular playing area and into the next consecutive playing area adjacent thereto.

The scoring of the game is determined by the number of strokes taken by a player in driving his ball properly through each playing area on the playing surface. As each player leaves one playing area and proceeds into the next consecutive playing area adjacent thereto, he places his scoring card on the respective scoring table 55 and marks down thereon the number of strokes taken to successfully negotiate the preceding playing area. In play ing the game, a group of players will normally play against each other, each player striking his own playing ball in a predetermined sequence of play.

To increase the opportunity for skillful play to determine the winner of a game, the obstruction of one ball by another ball may require the player striking the obstructed ball to drive it around his opponents ball, or he may hit the opponents ball during his turn of play. A free stroke may be awarded for hitting an opponents ball, but a free stroke for this reason is preferably awarded only once in a given playing area, following which the player must drive his ball through the wicket 55 or through the obstacle 54 guarding the exit from the particular playing area in proper sequence before he may again receive a free stroke for hitting any opponents ball. The player whose ball has been hit by the ball of another player must drive his ball from the new position assumed by the ball as the result of being hit. In instances where more than one ball is struck by a players ball during a single turn of play, a penalty stroke may be assessed against the player responsible for this occurrence.

Once any player negotiates one of the playing areas successfully, his turn of play will cease until all of the remaining players have driven their respective balls through the playing area. By striking the ball to deposit it in hole 60 at the exit to the last playing area 26, a player completes the game. The number of strokes taken to complete each of the playing areas, when added, will determine a player's final score, the lowest total score denoting the winner in the group of players. As distinct from miniature golf, the ball of each player remains in play continuously from start to finish of the game as the players do not pick up their respective balls when completing each individual playing area but play the balls from where they lie in proceeding through the next playing area.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a game, a playing surface, a plurality of longitudinally extending walls positioned in spaced relationship on said playing surface, a plurality of transversely extending walls positioned on said playing surface and extending between said longitudinally extending walls to divide said playing surface into a plurality of individual adjoining playing areas, said longitudinally and transversely extending walls projecting upwardly from said playing surface to provide retaining boundaries for each of said playing areas for confining a playing ball of a player within respective playing areas during the progress of the game, each of said playing areas having a relatively smooth fairway path extending therethrough, the portions of the playing area adjacent the fairway path having a relatively uneven surface constituting a rough, each of said playing areas having an entrance thereto and an exit therefrom through which a playing ball is to be driven during the progness of the game, said entrance and exit of each playing area being formed in the walls providing the retaining boundaries corresponding thereto, said en trance and said exit of each one of said playing areas being disposed at opposite ends of the fairway path of said one playing area, said fairway paths of said playing areas defining a continuous tortuous pathway extending through all of said playing areas, and means defining an obstacle in at least a majority of said entrances and exits to render more difficult the passage of a ball therethrough driven by a player during the progress of the game.

2. -In a game, a playing surface, a plurality of longitudinally extending walls positioned in spaced relationship on said playing surface, a plurality of transversely extending walls positioned on said playing surface and extending between said longitudinally extending walls to divide said playing surface into a plurality of individual adjoining playing areas, said longitudinally and transversely extending walls projecting upwardly from said playing surface to provide retaining boundaries for each of said playing areas for confining a playing ball of a player within respective playing areas during the progress of the game, each of said playing areas having a relatively smooth fairway path extending therethrough, the portions of the playing area adjacent the fairway path having a relatively uneven surface constituting a rough, each of said playing areas having an entrance thereto and an exit therefrom through which a playing ball is to be driven during the progress of the game, said entrance and exit of each playing area being formed in the walls providing the retaining boundaries corresponding thereto, said entrance and said exit of each one of said playing areas being disposed at opposite ends of the fairway path of said one playing area, means defining an obstacle in at least a majority of said entrances and exits to render more difiicult the passage of a ball therethrough driven by a player during the progress of the game, and a wicket in at least a majority of said playing areas through which a ball is adapted to be driven by a player during the progress of the game, each of said wickets being disposed on the fairway path of the respective playing areas intermediate the opposite ends of said fairway path.

3. In a game, a playing surface, a plurality of longitudinally extending walls positioned in spaced relationship on said playing surface, a plurality of transversely extending walls positioned on said playing surface and extending between said longitudinally extending walls to divide said playing surface into a plurality of individual adjoining. playing areas, said longitudinally and transversely extending walls projecting upwardly from said playing surface to provide retaining boundaries for each of said playing areas for confining a playing ball of a player within respective playing areas during the progress of the game, each of said playing areas having a relatively smooth fairway path extending therethrough, the portions of the playing area adjacent the fairway path having a relatively uneven surface constituting a rough, each of said playing areas having an entrance thereto and an exit therefrom through which a playing ball is to be driven during the progress of the game, said entrance and exit of each playing area being formed in the walls providing the retaining boundaries corresponding thereto, said entrance and said exit of each one of said playing areas being disposed at opposite ends of the fairway path of said one playing area, means defining an obstacle in at least a majority of said entrances and exits to render more diiiicult the passage of a ball therethrough driven by a player during the progress of the game, a wicket in each of said playing areas through which a ball is adapted to be driven by a player during the progress of the game, each of said wickets being disposed on the fairway path of the respective playing areas intermediate the opposite ends of said fairway path, and at least a majority of said wickets being placed in offset relationship to respective straight lines extending between the entrance and exit of each of said playing areas.

4. In a game, a playing surface, a plurality of longitudinally extending walls positioned in spaced relationship on said playing surface and defining a plurality of playing strips, a plurality of separator walls positioned on said playing surface transversely to said longitudinally extending walls and extending therebetween and therefrom to subdivide said playing strips into a plurality of individual adjoining playing areas, said longitudinally extending walls and transverse separator walls projecting upwardly from said playing surface to provide retaining boundaries for each of said playing areas for confining a playing ball of a player within respective playing areas during the progress of the game, each of said playing areas having a relatively smooth fairway path extending therethrough, the portions of the playing area adjacent the fairway path having a relatively uneven surface constituting a rough, means defining an obstacle at opposite ends of the fairway path of each of said playing areas, said obstacles being interposed in the walls providing retain ing boundaries for said playing areas and serving to define entrances and exits for each of said playing areas through which a ball is to be driven by a player during the progress of the game, and a wicket in each of said playing areas through which a ball is to be driven by a player during the progress of the game, each of said wickets being disposed on the fairway path of the respective playing areas intermediate the opposite ends of said fairway path.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 84,068 Andrus May 5, 1931 1,591,095 Meyer July 6, 192.6 1,818,749 Pittler Aug. 11, 1931 1,858,750 Ranney May 17, 1932 1,952,624 Inman et al Mar. 27,1934 2,618,483 Chiodo Nov. 18, 1952 

1. IN A GAME, A PLAYING SURFACE, A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING WALLS POSITIONED IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP ON SAID PLAYING SURFACE, A PLURALITY OF TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING WALLS POSITIONED ON SAID PLAYING SURFACE AND EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING WALLS TO DIVIDE SAID PLAYING SURFACE INTO A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL ADJOINING PLAYING AREAS, SAID LONGITUDINALLY AND TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING WALLS PROJECTING UPWARDLY FROM SAID PLAYING SURFACE TO PROVIDE RETAINING BOUNDARIES FOR EACH OF SAID PLAYING AREAS FOR CONFINING A PLAYING BALL OF A PLAYER WITHIN RESPECTIVE PLAYING AREAS DURING THE PROGRESS OF THE GAME, EACH OF SAID PLAYING AREAS HAVING A RELATIVELY SMOOTH FAIRWAY PATH EXTENDING THERETHROUGH, THE PORTION OF THE PLAYING AREA ADJACENT THE FAIRWAY PATH HAVING A RELATIVELY UNEVEN SURFACE CONSTITUTING A ROUGH, EACH OF SAID PLAYING AREAS HAVING AN ENTRANCE THERETO AND AN EXIT THEREFROM THROUGH WHICH A PLAYING BALL IS TO BE DRIVEN 